San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-05-07

The table talk was largely confined to
the symphony and its performance and
the impression which it had made. Sig
nora Stoccati listened with her eyes fix
ed upon her plate, and without joining
. in the conversation. In reply to queS-
ton from Lady CastlefOrt in regard to
her Journey, she raised her eyes with
sudden penetrating glance, but immedi-
ately dropped them again, murmuring
some incOherent reply.
The young man examined her cur
iously. There was grace about her
movements which greatly charmed him,
and while she was totally unlike any
one he remembered, something still
made her seem familiar. He puzzled
over this half resemblance after he had
returned to his own rooms; and when
Count Brogni came to the villa in the
evening he found his friend still deep
in the mystery.
Il have been over my whole list Of &C
quaintances," Castlefort said, past and
present, and | cannot tell of whom she
reminds me. | could almost say of some
one whom have known most intimate
ly. The strangest part of it is that
both my mother and myself had the i'm
preston that the young lady was blonde.
There is something uncanny about 1t.
81 am most anxious to see this mys-
teriOus damsel," his friend said; lis
your fair enigma musicale"
Il suppose So" was the response; "all
young ladies are nowadays. But she
does not appear like an ordinary mortal;
she may be genius"
"Violetta must look after you," said
the other, smiling. This stranger has
evidently made deep impression upon
your tickle heart"
Consider my relation purely faith
erly one," replied Castlefort. Il assure
you feel really paternal towards her."
why not fratemalp
Il do not know exactly; but paternal
it is"
when does the duke return to Ven
ice?" asked the count, suddenly chang
ing the subject.
Not until after the carnival, l be-
lieve. He is urgent for the revision
and copying of the symphony; do not
understand his eagerness. 1t may, aft
er all, be merely an attempt to Halter
me; but he declares his intention Of
bringing it out in Venice"
When the two friends Joined the
ladies, Lord Castlefort watched with
some curiosity to see what effect the
stranger would have upon his friend.
She received the count graclOuSly, and
from the first treated him with marked
preference. There was a strange alb
sence of cOnventionality in her manner,
to which, however, no fault could be
found upon the score of lightneSs. She
charmed without apparent effort, and
from the first there were firmly estab-
lished between herself and Lord Castle
fort frank and friendly relations, like
those between brother and sister, or, as
he lightly said, of father and daughter.
Lady Castlefort, upon her part, was
charmed with her guest; and as was her
wont, began at once to plan a letter to
Lady StOccati, full of the praises of her
friends daughter. As Lady Castlefort
was not6riOusly poor correspondent,
however, the letterremained unwTitten,
although from day to day my lady de-
vised new and well-tuned phrases
Wherewith to embellish it.
The spell of the maiden seemed to eX-
tend itself to all the household. Brogni,
too, was completely subdued by it. He
experienced to some degree the same
sense Of former acquaintance which had
puzzled CastlefOrt.
"But that is natural" he said to his